8 Days | A nature-focused exploration of Costa Rica’s best beaches, forests and urban hubs
Calling all nature lovers! Spend a week in Costa Rica beginning in San Jose – the thriving urban centre abundant with colourful markets, vibrant nightlife and spontaneous art fairs. Explore Monteverde’s Cloud Forest at your own pace, keeping your eye out for sloths and the elusive quetzal bird. Head to La Fortuna, shadowed by the immense Arenal Volcano, and enjoy free time to chase waterfalls and soak away your worries in the natural thermal hot springs. Explore Cahuita National Park with a hike and a swim, then enjoy some beach time on the Caribbean coast in Puerto Viejo. If you're lucky, spot sloths, hummingbirds, iguanas, monkeys, toucans, coatimundis, quetzals and racoons, then take a cooking class to learn the local cuisine. With a local leader with insider knowledge and a likeminded group of travellers – what better way to dive into Costa Rica?
Trip overview
- Start
- San Jose, Costa Rica
- Finish
- San Jose, Costa Rica
- Theme
- 18 to 35s
- Destinations
- Costa Rica
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Basix
- Ages
- Min 18 - Max 35
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 16
- Trip code
- QBYC
Tick off all the popular spots and enjoy unique local experiences
Affordable trips with the freedom to choose how you spend your time
Connect to the places you go and the communities at the heart of every Intrepid experience
- Explore Cahuita National Park on a hike through the lush vegetation and coastal beaches (where you can take a dip) and look out for the abundant wildlife on the land and in the sky.
- Take part in a Caribbean cooking class in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and sit down for lunch with the locals – a blend of African, Indigenous and Spanish flavours mixed with coconut milk, spices, fruits, curry and seafood.
- Enjoy plenty of free time to choose your own adventure – maybe hike through the lush forest of La Fortuna, go wildlife spotting near Arenal Volcano or explore Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve looking out for sloths.
- Kick back on the Caribbean coast in Puerto Viejo, surrounded by vibrant coral reefs – the perfect spot for some swimming, snorkelling or relaxing under the shade of palm trees.
- Start and end your trip in San Jose, the urban centre of Costa Rica, to balance out the outdoor adventure with some nightlife, bar hopping, markets and museums.
- This trip is for travellers who appreciate a bit of independence. You'll get plenty of free time in each location to make your own choices, do your own activities and eat where you like. Your leader is always there to give you tips and suggestions. Please budget spending money for optional activities you want to partake in.
- With so much to see and do, Costa Rica can sometimes be expensive. Expect to pay more than you would in other Central American countries for a lot of things.
- Costa Rica is generally hot and humid year-round, and from May to October can be wet too. At nighttime and in locations at higher elevations it can get chilly. Protect yourself from the sun, bring light clothing you can layer and a waterproof jacket, and stay hydrated. Please carefully consider which time of the year you'll feel most comfortable travelling.
- Most of the activities (both included and optional) on this trip take place in the great outdoors. This means you'll need to be prepared to deal with insects and occasionally rustic conditions. It's all part of immersing yourself in this natural paradise.
Itinerary
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2025 - 31 December 2025
Inclusions
1 dinner
Shared Vehicle, Private Vehicle, Public Bus, Boat
Hotel (7 nights)
- Cahuita National Park - Entrance
- Cahuita National Park - Hike
- Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - Coastal Bicycle ride
- Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - Caribbean Cooking Demonstration
- San Jose - Leader-led orientation walk
- San Jose – Bites and Sights Urban Adventure - USD38
- San Jose - San Jose By Night: Food and Culture - Urban Adventures - USD78
- Monteverde - Butterfly Garden and Insects Farm (entrance fee) - USD22
- Monteverde - Canopy Zip Lining (Entrance, Equipment & Transport) - USD65
- Monteverde - Coffee & Chocolate tour - USD47
- Monteverde - Suspension bridges tour - USD58
- Monteverde - Cloud Forest Night Walk - USD45
- Monteverde - Cloud Forest Entrance - USD26
- La Fortuna - Ecotermales Hot Springs (entrance fee) - USD49
- La Fortuna - La Fortuna Waterfall (Entrance only) - USD21
- La Fortuna- Caño Negro boat tour - USD84
- La Fortuna - Stand up paddle board - USD79
- La Fortuna - Arenal 1968 Volcano View and Lava Trails (Entrance fee) - USD26
- La Fortuna - Arenal hanging bridges - USD79
- La Fortuna - Arenal Volcano Base Hike - USD97
- Manzanillo - Medicinal Plants Experience - USD35
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. Please be careful when booking flights to/from San Jose; make sure you fly into/out of Juan Santamaria International Airport [SJO]. Please do not book flights to/from Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport [SJC] as this is located in California, United States.
3. This tour includes accommodation in multi-share rooms (triple and quad). This means travelers on the same booking may be split between rooms due to single gender allocation.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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